Supervised practice and driver education in Florida

By the end of this topic you can

• You can state the minimum practice hours and night hours for Florida applicants under 18.
• You can explain who may supervise and who may sign the certification.
• You can plan night practice around the learner's daylight-only period.
• You can tell which course a teen needs and which course an adult needs.
• You can keep a log that makes the certification accurate.

What you need to know and understand

• Applicants aged 16 or 17 need at least 50 hours behind the wheel, with at least 10 hours at night, certified by a parent, guardian or responsible adult.
• Hours count when you drive with the certifying adult or another licensed driver aged 21 or older.
• FLHSMV's certification form (HSMV 71143) is signed in front of the examiner or notarized.
• The certification cannot be used as evidence in any civil lawsuit.
• Learners drive in daylight only for the first 3 months, so night hours can start only after that, and only until 10 p.m.
• Teens need an FLHSMV-approved driver education course that meets the Department of Education 1900300 standard; FLHSMV describes its DETS course as about 6 hours.
• The adult TLSAE course must contain at least 4 hours of content, with no more than 30 minutes of breaks.

Your 50 hours, and the 10 that must be at night

The law sets minimums, not targets. Most learners benefit from far more than 50 hours. Because the first 3 months are daylight only and later night driving stops at 10 p.m., plan your night sessions for the darker months or for evenings soon after sunset.

There is no state-issued log you must hand in, but FLHSMV publishes a free learner's driving log. Recording the date, times, day or night and the supervisor's name keeps the adult's certification honest. Our Florida 50-hour certification checklist goes deeper.

Who can sit beside you

• Must hold a valid license for the type of vehicle you are driving.
• Must be at least 21 years old.
• Must sit in the seat closest to your right, the front passenger seat.
• Can be a parent, relative, family friend or instructor who meets all three conditions.

Which course do you need?

A 2025 law change replaced TLSAE for teens. If you are under 18 and applying for a first learner's license, you need an FLHSMV-approved driver education course meeting the Department of Education Driver Education/Traffic Safety 1900300 standard. If you are 18 or older and have never held a license, you take TLSAE unless you completed a Department of Education driver education course. Drivers licensed in another state or country do not need TLSAE.

TLSAE covers alcohol and drug effects, Florida traffic law, risky behavior such as speeding, phone use, and safety around motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians. Completion is reported to FLHSMV electronically; a paper certificate is not needed.

Common mistakes

• Signing for hours that were never driven. The certification is a legal statement, and the practice is what keeps you safe.
• Leaving all night driving to the last month. Spread the 10 night hours out after the 3-month mark.
• Practicing only on quiet streets. Include busy roads, highways, rain and parking lots.
• Choosing a course provider that is not on FLHSMV's approved list. An unapproved course will not count.

Test yourself: Supervised practice and driver education in Florida

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• Florida Learner’s Permit Rules
• Florida Permit Practice Test
• Florida 50 Hour Driving Certification